Wonderful man. One of Labour's finest. A proper political inspiration from whichever side of the fence you sit. "I'm leaving the House of Commons so I can concentrate on politics" RIP
Completely opposed to their pinko politics but the hard left have lost 2 intelligent high calibre operators this week which will leave a void difficult to fill.
I didn't agree with a lot of what he said, but there's no doubt that he was a very likeable chap. RIP
Im with OLM there. I didn't always agree with his views, but he was a clearly a clever and genuine man who stuck to his principles. I enjoyed watching and listening to him debate things, he was very good at it. Politics needs more people like him.
One of the last of a dying breed of principled politicians. Agree or disagree with his views he stuck consistently with his beliefs - unlike so many in today's political world who change their tune every 5 minutes and just say what they think people want to hear. RIP Mr Benn and condolences to the family
I deplored most of his policies and beliefs, but at least he was an honest politician with principles, a rare find these days.
Ding Dong the Toff is Dead! Nah, no one on here could stoop that low as to celebrate someone's passing. (Tell me I dreamt that some did on here.....) Commiserations to Viscount Stansfield's family especially his daughter Hilary who is following in the family business. What a sad state of affairs that someone gets a great obit because they were not caught with their fingers in the till, trousers round their ankles or telling massive porkies. He seemed a sincere chap if utterly batty (in a non Jamaican way). The Beeb to air a 3 hr live special tonight at 22.00 so I'm hearing.
More people like him? Rich, privileged upbringing meaning you never have had to work. Married a millionairess. Politics is full of them starting with the current PM.
I could never agree with the policies he espoused in a million years. But I always admired him as one of the most lucid political speakers. He could argue a policy or a principal in a way that few, if any, of today's crowd can.
I didn't agree with everything he said, but there's absolutely no doubt that, during my lifetime, I never saw another mainstream politician who was fit to lick this man's boots.
A mate of mine once wrote to him , a few years ago, and was surprised to receive a hand written note from him. He had the courage of his convictions, he was one of the few to vote against the Falklands . RIP
Good piece on Wedgy Benn First Bob Crow, now Tony Benn…someone put a guard around Vanessa Redgrave quick. To lose one iconic figure of the Left in a week was sad, two is tragic; three would suggest that God was running some sort of sick sweepstake. The former 2nd Viscount Stanley Anthony Wedgewood Benn was a lot posher than Crow but just as principled (out of office at least). A brilliant orator, Benn was a great believer in democracy and like Bob Crow he was adamantly opposed to the EU. In 2007 he pleaded with Gordon Brown to give the British people an EU referendum. He called it the “most bureaucratic, terrifying system in the world” and said that the Treaty of Lisbon was “being imposed on us on the grounds it's tidying-up… if tidying up involves tearing up the British constitution it’s a very interesting definition.” The Labour government refused us that referendum, despite having promised one in their 2005 manifesto. Speaking at a Labour Euro-safeguards campaign fringe meeting, Benn said that the “absolutely undemocratic” EU should be reformed and power handed back to nation states and elected politicians. He also spoke out against the “death of democracy” with the increasing dominance of unelected supranational bodies and multinational corporations. RIP
